My next novel: an introduction to The Soul Herald

So I’ve done it again. Despite earning millions and millions in book sales, I still need to keep busy writing. (Who am I kidding, I’ve earned about three hundred quid in six years, why do I punish myself?) My next novel is fantasy – without the wizards and dragons. It’s something I’ve written and rewritten… four times I think, since 2009. I finally believe it’s ready to be released. Good lord, you should have seen the earlier versions. Christ, what was I thinking?

Anyway this book is called The Soul Herald, and it’s the first of… at least three books.

The following is what I plan to use as the back page blurb, and then an intro inside the book. I’m hoping it’ll make people want to read more. So fuck it, here goes…

BACK PAGE:

The monarchy is falling apart. War looms, and the king is powerless to stop a corrupt parliament. One of the few people he can trust is Theena Kirris, an officer in the politically neutral Kannaldeltun. Her investigation into a murder leads to treachery, conspiracy, and danger.

Through narcotic visions, King Gohrmunt looks for insight about his past, present, and future. He falls for a commoner, Merra Thessilic, a woman with secrets she doesn’t understand. When he discovers her importance to the greater good, he must prepare.

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

This is a fantasy story – without wizards and dragons. It does not take place in a medieval setting.

Imagine a world that looks a bit like Western Europe in the late 1700s. In our story, the empire is gone, and former imperial masters grow bitter, seemingly irrelevant to the old colonies. Our king is the guy who dissolved his empire to end a protracted, miserable war. Which was great… for a while. In time, people forgot what war did to their country, and they’ve allowed greedy politicians to lead them down dark paths to reclaim glory. The king is unable to stop Parliament from making insane decisions, and it’s tearing him apart.

At least he has Theena Kirris.

The first woman officer in the country’s highest law body, the Kannaldeltun, Theena breaks from neutrality, investigates a murder, and begins to see how things are falling apart. She’s known the king her whole life and hates to see him suffer. Theena’s no fan of the crown prince… awful, awful man. The younger prince is a much better fit for the throne.

Our third main character, possibly the most important, is Merra Thessilic. A tavern servingmaid from the poorest quarter in the city, the king is absolutely smitten with her. But why? He doesn’t know anything about her – certainly not that secret she keeps hidden, the one she doesn’t even understand. But he knows the moment he sees her, strange forces are at work.

That’s where things stand in our imaginary country of Vira, the former centre of an empire. A king losing his grip, a talented law officer caught up in a conspiracy, and a woman who could, without knowing it, be instrumental to the ending of the World. Preferably not.

I really hope you enjoy The Soul Herald. It took me nine fxxxing years to get this far, and there’s a lot more.

So tell me… what do you think? And hey, if you’re an artist, and you want to work with me on the front cover, that would be amazing.